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Dear Yeshiva Family:
This week's parshiyos, VaYakhel and Pekudei, describe in great detail the construction of the Mishkan. What is striking is that the Torah repeats many of the very same details that were already given earlier in Parshas Terumah and Tetzaveh. The measurements, the materials, the vessels, the garments, much of it appears again, almost word for word. In fact, hundreds of pesukim are devoted to the building of the Mishkan.
Naturally, the question arises: why does the Torah repeat all of this? The Torah is famously concise, and every word is measured. Why would the Torah devote so much space to repeating details that were already recorded earlier?
At the same time, the parshiyos describe the incredible enthusiasm of Klal Yisrael in contributing to the Mishkan. The donations came from both the men and the women, and the Torah goes out of its way to describe their eagerness and generosity. They brought gold, silver, copper, precious stones, fabrics, and materials of every kind. People also donated their talents and their labor, volunteering their skills to take part in the sacred work.
Yet these donations were not easy. Giving away wealth never comes naturally. In fact, in the beginning of Parshas Tzav Rashi explains that the word implies zerizus, an urgency that is especially necessary when there is financial loss involved. When money is on the line, people often hesitate.
Nevertheless, Klal Yisrael responded with remarkable enthusiasm. They gave from their possessions, their time, and their talents. Everyone wanted to participate in the building of the Mishkan.
What motivated them? What gave Klal Yisrael such energy and willingness to sacrifice for this project?
Many explanations are given, but at its core we can explain that the Mishkan was not merely a building project. It was the place where the Shechinah, the Divine Presence, would dwell among Klal Yisrael. Through the Mishkan, Hashem's presence would reside within the camp of the Jewish people.
For Klal Yisrael, that reality was enough to inspire extraordinary dedication. The opportunity to create a home for the Shechinah motivated them to give of themselves completely.
Why Repeat the Parshiyos Perhaps we can also suggest an explanation for why the Torah repeats all of these details[1].
Perhaps it was to show that it was not only during the planning stages that Klal Yisrael showed their enthusiasm and willingness to give of themselves for Hashem. Their dedication continued throughout the entire process of building the Mishkan. The excitement and commitment did not fade once the instructions were given; rather, the people carried that same devotion into the actual construction and eventual management of the Mishkan.
In this sense, the Torah's repetition itself reflects that idea. The first time the Torah records the details, it is describing the command, the vision of what the Mishkan would be. The second time, the Torah describes how Klal Yisrael actually brought that vision into reality. By repeating the entire process, the Torah is highlighting the dedication to creating a home for the Shechinah was not merely theoretical. It was lived out in action. The same passion that existed when the Mishkan was first commanded continued as the people invested their time, their energy, and their resources to build it.
The repetition of the parshiyos therefore becomes part of the message. The Torah is emphasizing that the enthusiasm to bring the Shechinah into the midst of Klal Yisrael was sustained from beginning to end.
The Kodesh Hakodoshim of Bein Adam LeChaveiro In our own time as well, it is possible to create a place where the Shechinah can dwell. Chazal teach that when a husband and wife live together with harmony and respect, the Shechinah rests among them. A peaceful and loving home becomes a dwelling place for the Divine Presence.
Let us try to understand this idea more deeply. The holiest place in the Mishkan — and later in the Beis HaMikdash — was the Kodesh HaKodashim, the Holy of Holies. That sacred space represented the highest level of service between man and Hashem, what we call bein adam laMakom. It was the place dedicated entirely to a person's relationship with the Ribbono Shel Olam. But there is another dimension of serving Hashem as well: bein adam laChaveiro — how we relate to other people.
Where does that service find its highest expression?
The closest and most constant relationship a person has with another human being is with his spouse. The home is therefore the primary place where the mitzvos of bein adam laChaveiro are lived every single day, through kindness, patience, respect, understanding, and care.
In that sense, the Jewish home becomes the Kodesh HaKodashim of bein adam laChaveiro. Just as the Holy of Holies represents the highest point of our relationship with Hashem, the home represents the highest expression of our responsibility toward another person.
And therefore, it is not surprising that Chazal teach that the Shechinah dwells in a home where there is true shalom between husband and wife. When a couple builds their home with mutual respect, sensitivity, and love, they are creating a place worthy of the Divine Presence.
Just as the Shechinah rested in the Kodesh HaKodashim because it was the highest expression of bein adam laMakom, the Shechinah rests in a peaceful Jewish home because it represents the highest expression of bein adam laChaveiro.
Giving Nowadays Like They Gave Then As we mentioned earlier, when Klal Yisrael built the Mishkan they were eager to give of themselves. They contributed their money, their talents, and their time. This was not always easy. Giving away one's resources rarely is. Yet the people were motivated by the opportunity to create a dwelling place for the Shechinah. And as we noted, this enthusiasm did not exist only during the initial planning stages. It continued throughout the entire process of building the Mishkan. The project was long and demanding, yet Klal Yisrael sustained their commitment so that the Shechinah could dwell among them.
In many ways, this resembles the building of a marriage.
At the beginning of a relationship, during the engagement period, it is very natural to give. A couple is excited to buy gifts, to spend time together, and to invest energy in the relationship. The enthusiasm comes easily.
But once the building of the home truly begins — once two people are living together and sharing the responsibilities of daily life — that initial excitement sometimes fades and wanes. The relationship now requires effort, patience, and continued investment. At that point, a person may no longer be acting purely out of the emotional excitement of the beginning. Instead, one must sometimes make conscious decisions: to give of one's time, to spend resources for the sake of the home, to overlook something, to compromise, to be mavater.
Those decisions are not always driven by passion. Sometimes they come from something deeper — from the recognition that this is the right thing to do. The conscious decision to do the right thing, and treat someone with respect.
This, too, was the greatness of Klal Yisrael in building the Mishkan. The Torah repeats the entire process to show that their commitment did not exist only in the moment of inspiration. Even during the long and demanding process of construction, they continued to invest their effort so that the Shechinah could remain among them. The same opportunity exists in every Jewish home.
If the home is the Kodesh HaKodashim of bein adam laChaveiro — the holiest place where our relationships with others are expressed — then every act of patience, every moment of giving, every decision to be mevater helps create a place where the Shechinah can dwell.
Sometimes that decision will come from excitement and love. But sometimes it will come from something more focused and more deliberate — the choice to say: I want Hashem's presence to be in this home.
"I will overlook that disagreement." "I will not argue over that expense." "I will give of my time and energy even when it is difficult."
Just as Klal Yisrael invested their resources and effort to build a home for the Shechinah in the Mishkan, we too have the ability to bring the Shechinah into our own homes every single day.
Have an amazing Shabbos! Rabbi Moshe Revah Mrevah2@touro.edu
[1] I heard a similar idea from R' YY Jacobson in the name of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. I searched and subsequently found it on his website theyeshiva.net. | 
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